The US government recently released the 2015 National Security Strategy. It discusses the country's global interests and objectives. It also presents the actions taken to implement the national security strategy and counter any security threats.

This is the second report on the national security strategy issued during Obama's tenure, with the first one published in 2010. From both reports, we can see that the United States has been concerned about the rise of China, in particular its military modernization, and it is determined to influence the direction of China's development. Judging from the two reports, America's understanding of China's strategy has undergone a number of changes.

First, the United States is more concerned about the risk of Sino-US conflict. The 2010 report stressed that it is "ready" to ensure that the interests of the US as well as its regional and global allies will not be adversely affected by China's military modernization. At the same time the 2015 report makes it clear that despite obvious competition, the US does not consider that "confrontation is inevitable".

Second, the US is directing more attention to bilateral cooperation. The 2010 report said that the two countries cannot agree on every issue, but the divergences should not prevent both sides from cooperating on matters of common interest. The new report says cooperation between the two countries has reached an unprecedented level: seeking to cooperate on climate change, public health, economic development, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and other issues. In particular, it underscores achievements in reducing carbon emissions through the efforts of both parties.

Third, the US steps up precaution against China . The 2015 report notes that the US will promote its Asia-Pacific "rebalancing" strategy. It maintains a watchful eye on China's "expanding existence" in Asia, and asks China to maintain the international rules and norms on maritime security, trade, human rights and other issues. The East China Sea issue and South China Sea issue will be important security concerns of the US. The report states that the US opposes "any territorial disputes resolved through intimidation" and presses China and ASEAN to commit to "the South China Sea Code of Conduct" as soon as possible.

Fourth, the US strengthens competition in new areas with China. Cyber security has made its appearance in the new report. It accuses the Chinese government and its private sector of stealing US trade secrets for commercial purposes and says that it will respond as necessary.

These changes in the old and new reports show the changes to the Sino-US balance of power. The US recognizes that China's comprehensive national strength has been rising and its momentum will not reverse due to any external interference. So the "China factor" will play a significant impact on the US. Confrontation and conflict with China are not conducive to US national security.

At the same time, the US increasingly regards China as a rival. Although the US is still the world's only superpower, the development trend is that the US-dominated unipolar world is being replaced by a polycentric world. In the meantime, the US tries to use what remain of its strengths and advantages to delay the rise of emerging powers, including China. Although it claims that its Asia-Pacific "rebalancing" strategy does not target China, it is a fact that the strategy does address the rise of China from several standpoints.

Ultimately, the US national security strategy has failed to move away from zero-sum thinking. If American leadership insists on maintaining its own "security" at the expense of the "insecurity" of other countries, this is in no-one's interests, and that includes the United States itself - in today's interconnected world countries share danger and safety together.

If the US could only bring itself to consider China rationally, it could maintain common security and expand common interests.

The author is Su Xiaohui, deputy director of the Department for International and Strategic Studies at China Institute of International Studies.

This article was edited and translated from 《从新旧报告看美对华认知变化》, source: People's Daily Overseas Edition